This photograph shows members of the Topeka Decker Oilers semi-pro baseball team, circa 1947. Individuals identified in the back row include: Junior Coffman, on the far left; Harland Coffman, second from the left; Ray Hickey, fourth from the left; and, Don Kirkwood, third from the right. Those identified in the front row include: Ed Coffman, fourth from the left; Bob Crites, fifth from the left; and manager A.L. 'Pooch' Coffman (also known as Al or Vern), on the far right. During the late 1940s and 1950s, the team was a perennial contender for the state semi-pro baseball title, competing each year in the state tournament held in Wichita. The Decker Oilers won the state championship in 1948, placed second three consecutive years, 1950-1952, and finished third in 1955 and 1957. Digital reproduction of the photograph was accomplished through a joint project sponsored by the Kansas Historical Society and the Shawnee County Baseball Hall of Fame.
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